The Effect of Foam Core Density on the Flexural and Axial Behaviour of Sandwich Panels of Varying Slenderness with Natural Flax-FRP and Glass-FRP Composite Skins

This study investigates the effect of foam core density and skin type on the behaviour of sandwich panels as structural beams tested in four-point bending and axially compressed columns of varying slenderness and skin thickness. Bio-composite unidirectional flax fibre-reinforced polymer (FFRP) is compared to conventional glass-FRP (GFRP) as the skin material used in conjunction with three polyisocyanurate (PIR) foam cores with densities of 32, 64 and 96 kg/m3. Eighteen 1000 mm long flexural specimens were fabricated and tested to failure comparing the effects of foam core density between three-layer FFRP skinned and single-layer GFRP skinned panels. A total of 132 columns with slenderness ratios (kLe/r) ranging from 22 to 62 were fabricated with single-layer GFRP skins, and one-, three-, and five-layer FFRP skins for each of the three foam core densities. The columns were tested to failure in concentric axial compression using pinned-end conditions to compare the effects of each material type and panel height. All specimens had a foam core cross-section of 100x50 mm with 100 mm wide skins of equal thickness. In both flexural and axial loading, panels with skins comprised of three FFRP layers showed equivalent strength to those with a single GFRP layer for all slenderness ratios and core densities examined. Doubling the core density from 32 to 64 kg/m3 and tripling the density to 96 kg/m3 led to flexural strength increases of 82 and 213%, respectively. Both FFRP and GFRP columns showed a similar variety of failure modes related to slenderness. Low slenderness of 22-25 failed largely due to localized single skin buckling, while those with high slenderness of 51-61 failed primarily by global buckling followed by secondary skin buckling. Columns with intermediate slenderness experienced both localized and global failure modes. High density foam cores more commonly exhibited core shear failure. Doubling the core density of the columns resulted in peak axial load increases, across all slenderness ratios, of 73, 56, 72 and 71% for skins with one, three and five FFRP layers, and one GFRP layer, respectively. Tripling the core density resulted in respective peak load increases of 116, 130, 176 and 170%.

Assessing trends in land use change in the Borana rangeland Ethiopia as one cause of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration variations

Landnutzungs��nderungen sind eine wesentliche Ursache von Treibhausgasemissionen. Die Umwandlung von ��kosystemen mit permanenter nat��rlicher Vegetation hin zu Ackerbau mit zeitweise vegetationslosem Boden (z.B. nach der Bodenbearbeitung vor der Aussaat) f��hrt h��ufig zu gesteigerten Treibhausgasemissionen und verminderter Kohlenstoffbindung. Weltweit dehnt sich Ackerbau sowohl in kleinb��uerlichen als auch in agro-industriellen Systemen aus, h��ufig in benachbarte semiaride bis subhumide Rangeland ��kosysteme. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht Trends der Landnutzungs��nderung im Borana Rangeland S��d��thiopiens. Bev��lkerungswachstum, Landprivatisierung und damit einhergehende Einz��unung, ver��nderte Landnutzungspolitik und zunehmende Klimavariabilit��t f��hren zu raschen Ver��nderungen der traditionell auf Tierhaltung basierten, pastoralen Systeme. Mittels einer Literaturanalyse von Fallstudien in ostafrikanischen Rangelands wurde im Rahmen dieser Studie ein schematisches Modell der Zusammenh��nge von Landnutzung, Treibhausgasemissionen und Kohlenstofffixierung entwickelt. Anhand von Satellitendaten und Daten aus Haushaltsbefragungen wurden Art und Umfang von Landnutzungs��nderungen und Vegetationsver��nderungen an f��nf Untersuchungsstandorten (Darito/Yabelo Distrikt, Soda, Samaro, Haralo, Did Mega/alle Dire Distrikt) zwischen 1985 und 2011 analysiert. In Darito dehnte sich die Ackerbaufl��che um 12% aus, ��berwiegend auf Kosten von Buschland. An den ��brigen Standorten blieb die Ackerbaufl��che relativ konstant, jedoch nahm Graslandvegetation um zwischen 16 und 28% zu, w��hrend Buschland um zwischen 23 und 31% abnahm. Lediglich am Standort Haralo nahm auch ���bare land���, vegetationslose Fl��chen, um 13% zu. Faktoren, die zur Ausdehnung des Ackerbaus f��hren, wurden am Standort Darito detaillierter untersucht. GPS Daten und anbaugeschichtlichen Daten von 108 Feldern auf 54 Betrieben wurden in einem Geographischen Informationssystem (GIS) mit thematischen Boden-, Niederschlags-, und Hangneigungskarten sowie einem Digitales H��henmodell ��berlagert. Multiple lineare Regression ermittelte Hangneigung und geographische H��he als signifikante Erkl��rungsvariablen f��r die Ausdehnung von Ackerbau in niedrigere Lagen. Bodenart, Entfernung zum saisonalen Flusslauf und Niederschlag waren hingegen nicht signifikant. Das niedrige Bestimmtheitsma�� (R��=0,154) weist darauf hin, dass es weitere, hier nicht erfasste Erkl��rungsvariablen f��r die Richtung der r��umlichen Ausweitung von Ackerland gibt. Streudiagramme zu Ackergr����e und Anbaujahren in Relation zu geographischer H��he zeigen seit dem Jahr 2000 eine Ausdehnung des Ackerbaus in Lagen unter 1620 m��NN und eine Zunahme der Schlaggr����e (>3ha). Die Analyse der ph��nologischen Entwicklung von Feldfr��chten im Jahresverlauf in Kombination mit Niederschlagsdaten und normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) Zeitreihendaten dienten dazu, Zeitpunkte besonders hoher (Begr��nung vor der Ernte) oder niedriger (nach der Bodenbearbeitung) Pflanzenbiomasse auf Ackerland zu identifizieren, um Ackerland und seine Ausdehnung von anderen Vegetationsformen fernerkundlich unterscheiden zu k��nnen. Anhand der NDVI Spektralprofile konnte Ackerland gut Wald, jedoch weniger gut von Gras- und Buschland unterschieden werden. Die geringe Aufl��sung (250m) der Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) NDVI Daten f��hrte zu einem Mixed Pixel Effect, d.h. die Fl��che eines Pixels beinhaltete h��ufig verschiedene Vegetationsformen in unterschiedlichen Anteilen, was deren Unterscheidung beeintr��chtigte. F��r die Entwicklung eines Echtzeit Monitoring Systems f��r die Ausdehnung des Ackerbaus w��ren h��her aufl��sende NDVI Daten (z.B. Multispektralband, Hyperion EO-1 Sensor) notwendig, um kleinr��umig eine bessere Differenzierung von Ackerland und nat��rlicher Rangeland-Vegetation zu erhalten. Die Entwicklung und der Einsatz solcher Methoden als Entscheidungshilfen f��r Land- und Ressourcennutzungsplanung k��nnte dazu beitragen, Produktions- und Entwicklungsziele der Borana Landnutzer mit nationalen Anstrengungen zur Eind��mmung des Klimawandels durch Steigerung der Kohlenstofffixierung in Rangelands in Einklang zu bringen.

Valoraci��n de Transportadora de Gas del Per�� S.A.

A inicios del a��o 2000 el gobierno peruano llev�� a cabo las licitaciones de la exploraci��n del lote 88 y la construcci��n y operaci��n de la planta Malvinas, que dio lugar al convenio entre la empresa estatal Petroper�� SA. y el Consorcio Camisea para la exploraci��n de hidrocarburos. Dicho proyecto requer��a una infraestructura integral para poder trasladar los hidrocarburos extra��dos hacia la costa del pa��s, donde se encontrar��a la principal demanda del gas natural y l��quidos de gas natural. Es en ese contexto que nace Transportadora de Gas del Per�� (TgP), compa����a concesionaria encargada del transporte de gas natural y l��quidos de gas natural desde los yacimientos de Camisea en la selva hasta la costa peruana. As��, en agosto del a��o 2004 entra en operaciones el proyecto m��s emblem��tico y significativo del sector energ��tico en el Per�� hasta ese momento, llamado el Proyecto Camisea, el cual viene contribuyendo al desarrollo de la industria del gas natural en el mercado peruano. Recogiendo la importancia de la compa����a TgP en la operaci��n y continuidad de este proyecto por el alto impacto que tiene sobre la econom��a peruana, pues m��s del 45% de la energ��a producida en el Per�� depende del gas de Camisea, es que el presente documento tiene como prop��sito estudiar y dar una valoraci��n actual de la compa����a. Es as�� que como herramienta de valoraci��n se emple�� la metodolog��a de Flujo de Caja de Descontado, siguiendo una serie de supuestos acordes con la realidad de la empresa, que muestra una valoraci��n de TgP en US$ 3.012 millones, con un valor patrimonial de US$ 2.150 millones, lo cual se encuentra acorde con los ��ltimos registros de transacciones privadas de capital entre los socios de la compa����a.

All-regime Lagrangian-Remap numerical schemes for the gas dynamics equations. Applications to the large friction and low Mach coefficients

In this talk, we propose an all regime Lagrange-Projection like numerical scheme for the gas dynamics equations. By all regime, we mean that the numerical scheme is able to compute accurate approximate solutions with an under-resolved discretization with respect to the Mach number M, i.e. such that the ratio between the Mach number M and the mesh size or the time step is small with respect to 1. The key idea is to decouple acoustic and transport phenomenon and then alter the numerical flux in the acoustic approximation to obtain a uniform truncation error in term of M. This modified scheme is conservative and endowed with good stability properties with respect to the positivity of the density and the internal energy. A discrete entropy inequality under a condition on the modification is obtained thanks to a reinterpretation of the modified scheme in the Harten Lax and van Leer formalism. A natural extension to multi-dimensional problems discretized over unstructured mesh is proposed. Then a simple and efficient semi implicit scheme is also proposed. The resulting scheme is stable under a CFL condition driven by the (slow) material waves and not by the (fast) acoustic waves and so verifies the all regime property. Numerical evidences are proposed and show the ability of the scheme to deal with tests where the flow regime may vary from low to high Mach values.

Development of the gas chromatograph ��� mass spectrometer to investigate volatile species in the lunar soil for the Luna-Resurs mission

Since the analysis of the lunar rocks and soil samples, brought to Earth by the Apollo missions, it is believed that the Moon has a waterless nature and also other volatile species are strongly depleted. Advancement in analysis techniques helped to identify water and other volatile species in lunar volcanic glasses. Additionally, recent lunar space missions detected water and volatile organic compounds in the region of the lunar poles where permanently shadowed craters are existing. All known lunar soil samples available on Earth come from the lunar near side, close to the equator. To verify the most recent measurement results and to enhance the knowledge of the geological history of the Moon it is of high interest to perform in situ measurements on the lunar poles. For this reason the Russian space agency, Roskosmos, developed aprogram for the scientific exploration of the lunar poles. The Gas Analysis Package (GAP) is part of the selected scientific payload aboard the Luna-Resurs Lander. This instrument uses pyrolytic cells and will apply laser spectroscopy, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect and analyze volatile components trapped in the lunar soil. An existing ion optical design of a compact reflectron type time-of-flight mass spectrometer, originally built for the MEAP/P-BACE balloon mission, was chosen as a part of the GAP instrument. The scope of this thesis is the development of the interface between gas chromatography (GC) and this Neutral Gas Mass Spectrometer (NGMS) to perform coupled GC-MS measurements. In the first part of this thesis the interfacing concept was developed and verified by coupling the NGMS prototype to gas chromatography. The second part of this thesis is devoted to the development of the NGMS flight version.

A relev��ncia geoestrat��gica da Turquia para a seguran��a energ��tica da Uni��o Europeia : o caso do g��s natural

Nos pr��ximos anos a Uni��o Europeia ter�� crescentes necessidades de importa����o de g��s natural, existindo uma preocupa����o com os riscos inerentes �� depend��ncia face ao g��s russo, especialmente nos pa��ses do centro e leste europeu. Esses riscos foram evidenciados pelas crises e conflitos que opuseram a R��ssia �� Ucr��nia e �� Ge��rgia e mostraram �� Uni��o Europeia a necessidade de encontrar alternativas que diminu��ssem a sua vulnerabilidade. As alternativas poss��veis passam por incrementar a produ����o de shale gas, aumentar a importa����o do G��s Natural Liquefeito e diversificar os fornecedores. A Uni��o Europeia tem apostado num corredor meridional de g��s, cujo objetivo �� obter fornecimento do M��dio Oriente, do C��ucaso do Sul e da ��sia Central. Esta op����o europeia faz ressurgir a import��ncia geoestrat��gica da Turquia. No artigo propomo-nos discutir a estrat��gia europeia para diminuir a sua vulnerabilidade energ��tica no abastecimento de g��s natural e as vantagens que poder��o resultar do refor��o da rela����o com a Turquia nesta ��rea.

Estudo da molhabilidade de tecidos 100% poli��ster tratados em plasma N2/O2 em fun����o do seu envelhecimento natural

This work reports the influence of the poly (ethylene terephthalate) textile surface modification by plasmas of O2 and mixtures (N2 + O2), on their physical and chemical properties. The treatment was carried out in a vacuum chamber. Some parameters remained constant during all treatment, such as: Voltage 470 V; Pressure 1,250 Mbar; Current: 0, 10 A and gas flow: 10 cm3/min. Other parameters, such as working gas composition and treatment time, were modified as the following: to the O2 plasma modified samples only the treatment time was changed (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 minutes). To the plasma with O2 and N2 only the chemical concentrations were changed. Through Capillary tests (vertical) an increase in textile wettability was observed as well as its influence on aging time and its consequence on wettability. The surface functional groups created after plasma treatments were investigated using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The surface topography was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM)

Applications for CO2-Activated Carbon Monoliths: I. Gas Storage

Carbon monoliths with high densities are studied as adsorbents for the storage of H2, CH4, and CO2 at ambient temperature and high pressures. The starting monolith A3 (produced by ATMI Co.) was activated under a CO2 flow at 1073 K, applying different activation times up to 48 h. Micropore volumes and apparent surface areas were deduced from N2 and CO2 adsorption isotherms at 77 K and 273 K, respectively. CO2 and CH4 isotherms were measured up to 3 MPa and H2 up to 20 MPa. The BET surface area of the starting monolith (941 m2/g) could be significantly increased up to 1586 m2/g, and the developed porosity is almost exclusively comprised of micropores <1 nm. Total storage amounts take into account the compressed gas in the void space of the material, in addition to the adsorbed gas. Remarkably, high total storage amounts are reached for CO2 (482 g/L), CH4 (123 g/L), and H2 (18 g/L). These values are much higher than for other sorbents with similar surface areas, due to the high density of the starting monolith and of the activated ones, for which the density decreases only slightly (from 1.0 g/cm3 to 0.8 g /cm3 upon CO2 activation). The findings reveal the suitability of high density activated carbon monoliths for gas storage application. Thus, the amounts of stored gas can be increased by more than a 70 % in the case of H2 at 20 MPa, almost 5.5 times in the case of CH4 at 3 MPa, and more than 7.5 times in the case of CO2 at 3 MPa when adsorbents are used for gas storage under the investigated conditions rather than simple compression. Furthermore, the obtained results have been recently confirmed by a scale-up study in which 2.64 kg of high density monolith adsorbent was filled a tank cylinder of 2.5 L (Carbon, 76, 2014, 123).

Dissipation of triadimefon on the solid/gas interface

The dissipation or triadimefon, as pure solid and in the Bayleton 5 commercial formulation, was studied under controlled and natural conditions. Volatilization and photodegradation were shown to be the main dissipation processes. The volatilization results can be described by an empirical model assuming exponential decay of the volatilization rate. The filler of the commercial formulation is determinant for the volatilization but has little effect on the photodegradation rates. The main photoproducts were identified and a reaction mechanism proposed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sistemas de medi����o de desempenho para projetos de PD&I no Setor de Petr��leo e G��s Natural

Organizations are seeking new ideas, tools and methods aiming to improve management process and performance. On the other hand, system performance measurement needs to portray organizational changes and provide managers with a set of true and more appropriate information for the decision-making process. This work aims to propose a performance measurement system in the academic field regarding Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) in the oil and gas industry. The research performed a bibliographic review in a descriptive exploratory manner. A field research was conducted with an expert focus group in order to gather new indicators. As for the validation of these indicators, a survey with experienced professional was also realized. The research surveyed four segments in and outside of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte-Brazil such as oil and gas project coordinators, staff at Academic Planning Offices, FUNPEC employees as well as coordinators from Petrobr��s. The performance measuring system created from this study features three interrelated performance indicators pointed out as: process indicators, outcome indicators and global indicators. The proposal includes performance indicators that seek to establish more appropriate strategies for effective institution management. It might help policy making of university-industry interaction policies

An enforced cooperation : understanding scientific assessments in adversarial polities through Quebec shale gas policymaking, 2010-2014

Les biotechnologies, le r��chauffement climatique, les ressources naturelles et la gestion des ��cosyst��mes sont tous repr��sentatifs de la ���nouvelle politique de la nature��� (Hajer 2003), un terme englobant les enjeux marqu��s par une grande incertitude scientifique et un encadrement r��glementaire inadapt�� aux nouvelles r��alit��s, suscitant de fait un conflit politique hors du commun. Dans l'espoir de diminuer ces tensions et de g��n��rer un savoir consensuel, de nombreux gouvernements se tournent vers des institutions scientifiques ad hoc pour documenter l'��laboration des politiques et r��pondre aux pr��occupations des partie-prenantes. Mais ces ��valuations scientifiques permettent-elles r��ellement de cr��er une compr��hension commune partag��e par ces acteurs politiques polaris��s? Alors que l'on pourrait croire que celles-ci g��n��rent un climat d'apprentissage collectif rassembleur, un environnement politique conflictuel rend l'apprentissage entre opposant extr��mement improbable. Ainsi, cette recherche documente le potentiel conciliateur des ��valuation scientifique en utilisant le cas des gaz de schiste qu��b��cois (2010-2014). Ce faisant, elle mobilise la litt��rature sur les dimensions politiques du savoir et de la science afin de conceptualiser le r��le des ��valuations scientifiques au sein d'une th��orie de la m��diation scientifique (scientific brokerage). Une analyse de r��seau (SNA) des 5751 r��f��rences contenues dans les documents d��pos��s par 268 organisations participant aux consultations publiques de 2010 et 2014 constitue le corps de la d��monstration empirique. Pr��cis��ment, il y est d��montr�� comment un m��diateur scientifique peut rediriger le flux d'information afin de contrer l'incompatibilit�� entre apprentissage collectif et conflit politique. L'argument mobilise les m��canismes cognitifs traditionnellement pr��sents dans la th��orie des m��diateurs de politique (policy broker), mais introduit aussi les jeux de pouvoir fondamentaux �� la circulation de la connaissance entre acteurs politiques.

An enforced cooperation : understanding scientific assessments in adversarial polities through Quebec shale gas policymaking, 2010-2014

Les biotechnologies, le r��chauffement climatique, les ressources naturelles et la gestion des ��cosyst��mes sont tous repr��sentatifs de la ���nouvelle politique de la nature��� (Hajer 2003), un terme englobant les enjeux marqu��s par une grande incertitude scientifique et un encadrement r��glementaire inadapt�� aux nouvelles r��alit��s, suscitant de fait un conflit politique hors du commun. Dans l'espoir de diminuer ces tensions et de g��n��rer un savoir consensuel, de nombreux gouvernements se tournent vers des institutions scientifiques ad hoc pour documenter l'��laboration des politiques et r��pondre aux pr��occupations des partie-prenantes. Mais ces ��valuations scientifiques permettent-elles r��ellement de cr��er une compr��hension commune partag��e par ces acteurs politiques polaris��s? Alors que l'on pourrait croire que celles-ci g��n��rent un climat d'apprentissage collectif rassembleur, un environnement politique conflictuel rend l'apprentissage entre opposant extr��mement improbable. Ainsi, cette recherche documente le potentiel conciliateur des ��valuation scientifique en utilisant le cas des gaz de schiste qu��b��cois (2010-2014). Ce faisant, elle mobilise la litt��rature sur les dimensions politiques du savoir et de la science afin de conceptualiser le r��le des ��valuations scientifiques au sein d'une th��orie de la m��diation scientifique (scientific brokerage). Une analyse de r��seau (SNA) des 5751 r��f��rences contenues dans les documents d��pos��s par 268 organisations participant aux consultations publiques de 2010 et 2014 constitue le corps de la d��monstration empirique. Pr��cis��ment, il y est d��montr�� comment un m��diateur scientifique peut rediriger le flux d'information afin de contrer l'incompatibilit�� entre apprentissage collectif et conflit politique. L'argument mobilise les m��canismes cognitifs traditionnellement pr��sents dans la th��orie des m��diateurs de politique (policy broker), mais introduit aussi les jeux de pouvoir fondamentaux �� la circulation de la connaissance entre acteurs politiques.

Natural ventilation and indoor air quality in educational buildings: experimental assessment and improvement strategies

Indoor environmental conditions in classrooms, in particular temperature and indoor air quality, influence students��� health, attitude and performance. In recent years, several studies regarding indoor environmental quality of classrooms were published and natural ventilation proved to have great potential, particularly in southern European climate. This research aimed to evaluate indoor environmental conditions in eight schools and to assess their improvement potential by simple natural ventilation strategies. Temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration were measured in 32 classrooms. Ventilation performance of the classrooms was characterized using two techniques, first by fan pressurization measurements of the envelope airtightness and later by tracer gas measurements of the air change rate assuming different envelope conditions. A total of 110 tracer gas measurements were made and the results validated ventilation protocols that were tested afterward. The results of the ventilation protocol implementation were encouraging and, overall, a decrease on the CO2 concentration was observed without modifying the comfort conditions. Nevertheless, additional measurements must be performed for winter conditions.

2008 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Selected Iowa Source Categories

This report is the second inventory of point source-specific greenhouse gas emissions conducted by the Department of Natural Resources, covering more industrial sectors and greenhouse gas pollutants than the previous year. This report is required by Iowa Code 455B.851 to be submitted annually to the Iowa General Assembly and the Governor,

2009 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Selected Iowa Source Categories

This objective report is the third inventory of point source-specific greenhouse gas emissions conducted by the Department of Natural Resources. This report is required by Iowa Code 455B.851